Generator regulator



g' 4, 1931- J. s. JUERGENS 1,817,378

GENERATOR REGULATOR Filed Sept. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor JAY.Jaw-rye) Cttorncji 4, 1931- J. s. JUERGENS GENERATOR REGULATOR FiledSept. 20,l929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor J dfJzpe yena Patented Aug. 4,1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GENERATOR REGULATOR Application filedSeptember 20, 1929. Serial No. 394,115.

The present invention relates to a regulator for generators andespecially generators of relatively small capacity such as are employedfor charging storage batteries in automobiles and other electricalsystems.

An objectof the invention resides in the general improvement of suchstructures so as to lower the cost of manufacture as well as to makepractical the use of the apparatus by eliminating corrosive action onparts and contact points.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of such aregulator which is reliable in operation. contains no parts liable tobecome disorganized, and is provided with a hydraulic stabilizer toprevent variations in the rate of charging the battery. which wouldotherwise be caused by reason of road shocks.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1-is a perspective view of the com pleteapparatus.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the hydraulic stabilizerand Variable resistance coil; a portion of the float being broken away.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, apart of the core be ing broken away.

Figure 4.- is a vertical sectional view through the variable resistancecoil and aso'ciated parts.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a battery employed in the system,parts being broken away to more clearly show the construction; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail. the numeral 1 indicates aconventional type of secondary or storage battery, except that it isformed with a float compartment 2 preferably in the battery cell of thepositive terminal provided by means of a partition 3. This partition isformed with a plurality of perforations 4 which permit free pae'wage ofthe electrolyte from the adjoining cell into the float compartment.

Mounted in the float compartment- 2 is a float 5 of ample proportions torespond appreciably to variations in the specific gravity of theelectrolyte. This float. as indicated, is in the form of a solidbakclite. hard rubher. asphalt or other non-corrosive substance, Y andhas fixed to its upper surface a. rod 6,

pivotally connected at its upper end to an arm 7 as by means of the pinand slot connection 8. The opposite end of the arm 7 is pivotallyconnected to brackets 9 secured to the block 10 for thehydraulicstabilizer andrresistance coil.

'ithin the block 10 are provided the cylindrical compartments orreceptacles 11 and 12 which are connected at their lower and upper endsby passages 13 and 13 of small crosssection. Within these compartmentsis placed a quantity of oil as by means of a charging opening 14. Itwill be apparent that the oil may pass from one compartment to theother. but that this transfer cannot take place at a rapid rate due tothe small capacity of the passages 13 and 13'. By reason of thisarrangement movements of the variable, resistance. about to bedescribed, are damped, and thus irregularities in. the charging rate ofthe battery due to road shocks and the like are prevented.

Suspended from the arm 7 by pin and slot connection 15 is a rod 16 whichcarries at its lower end a plunger 17 of rubber. bakelite. or othernon-conducting material. This plunger is situated in the compartment 12of the stabilizer mechanism and is immersed in the oil in thiscompartment, and forms a core on I which is spirally wound a. resistancewire 18. This wire may be of round or flat crosssectional shape and ispreferably imbedded in the material of the plunger as indicated inFigure 4. Cooperating with the resistance wire 18 is a pair of springpressed brushes 19 which are connected in the circuit of the field coil20' of the generator :20 by means of the wires 21 and 22. Premure of-thebrushes on the resistance coil may be adjusted by means of the screws 23which vary the compression on the springs 24 in engagement with theinner ends of the brushes.

The oil bath above referred to in conned.

tion with the variable resistance also serves as a means for preventingcorrosion of the brushes 19 inasmuch as they are immersed in oil at alltimes.

For the purpose of insuring a minimum resistance in the field coilcircuit when the battery is discharged or only partly charged, acompression spring 25 encircles the rod 16 and has its ends bearing onthe top of the plunger 17 and the upper wall of compartment 12respectively, thus tending to return the plunger to its lowermostposition with respect to the brushes 19 and placing a minimum amount ofthe coil 18 in the field coil circuit.

In the operation of the device, the electrolyte in the battery cell ofthe positive terminal is allowed to freely circulate through the floatcompartment 2 by reason of the perforated partition 3. As the specificgravity of this liquid increases the float 5 will rise proportionatelyand in so doing will raise the arm 7upwardly about its pivot on brackets9. This raising of arm 7 will lift the plunger 17 and the resistancecoil wound thereon, thereby cutting in a greater portion of theresistance wire 18 to the field coil circuit and decreasing the currentgenerated in the armature of the generator with a consequent decrease inthe rate of charge entering the battery. As the plunger is raised in itscompartment 12 it displaces less of the oil therein and a flow of thisfluid takes place from compartment 11 through passage 13 to compartment12. This presence of a full quota of liquid in the compartment preventsa sudden depression of the plunger by road shocks since the narrowpassage 13 will not admit wot a quick discharge of the liquidtherethrough, and consequently serves to stabilize the position of thecoil and pre ent substantial variation in the rate of charging thebattery which would otherwise be caused when traveling over rough roads.

As the battery becomes more or less discharged and the specific gravityof the electrolyte is reduced the float 5 will sink lower in compartment2 and in so doing will lower the plunger 17 in compartment 12. Downwardmovement of the plunger 17 is assisted by the coil spring 25, and thepassages 13 and 13 serve to transfer excess liquid from the compartment12 to compartment 11 in response to the lower position of the plunger.The lowering of the plunger 17 cuts out a substantial part of theresistance coil 18 from the field circuit of the generator and thereby Icauses an increase in the rate of current generation and a more rapidcharging of the battery.

From the foregoing demription taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I havedevised an exceedingly simple variable speed generator of the automobiletype, which contains no mechanisms liable to become disorganized; thatthe variation in the rate of charging the battery is controlled byvariation in the specific gravity of the electrolyte of the battery;that the parts will be maintained free from corrosion; that theapparatus is not afiected by road shocks; that it requires no adjusting;and that due to its simplicity of design may be produced at a minimumcost.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have shown and described what Inow believe to be the preferred form of the invention, but inasmuch asminor changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention it is intended that thedrawings be considered as illustrative of the invention rather than in alimiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A generator controller for automobiles, including a secondarybattery, a float disposed in the electrolyte of said battery, agenerator, a variable resistance coil in the field circuit of saidgenerator, an operative connection between the float and variableresistance coil for adjusting the later, and a stabilizer for preventingthe transmission of road shocks to said resistance coil.

2. A generator controller including a secondary battery, a floatdisposed in the electrolyte of said battery, a generator, :1. variableresistance in the field circuit of said generator, a movable plunger onwhich said resistance is mounted, a connection between said float andplunger, and a hydraulic stabilizer associated with said plunger.

3. A generator controller including a secondary battery, a floatdisposed in the electrolyte of said battery, a generator, a variableresistance coil in the field circuit of said generator, a movableplunger on which said resistance coil is mounted, an oil bath for saidinwhich said variable'resistance is mounted.

J. S. J'UERGENS.

construction for automatically regulating a K

